Elvis Costello Announces My Aim Is True 49th Anniversary Box Set

Contrary to popular belief, there’s no rule saying you have to reissue a classic album on an even milestone date. “I thought the whole idea of celebrating a 50th Anniversary of My Aim Is True was preposterous. It made my teeth itch,” Elvis Costello writes in the announcement for My Aim Is True (49th Anniversary Edition), a massive box set for the singer’s 1977 debut. The new version includes 52 unreleased songs, demos, outtakes, and live performances; a remastered version of the 12-track LP pulled from the original analog tapes; handwritten lyrics; and essays from Nick Lowe, Rosanne Cash, Peter Wolf, Jim James, and more. It’s out October 2 on UMe but you can listen to a sneak preview today: a live performance of “Watching the Detective,” below. Costello is currently finishing up his 2026 tour with Charlie Sexton.Revisit Stephen M. Deusner’s Best New Reissue review of The Songs of Bacharach & Costello.Courtesy of Elvis Costello Courtesy of Elvis Costello My Aim Is True (Disc 1)01 Welcome To The Working Week - 2026 Remaster02 Miracle Man - 2026 Remaster03 No Dancing - 2026 Remaster04 Blame It On Cain - 2026 Remaster05 Alison - 2026 Remaster06 Sneaky Feelings - 2026 Remaster07 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes - 2026 Remaster08 Less Than Zero - 2026 Remaster09 Mystery Dance - 2026 Remaster10 Pay It Back - 2026 Remaster11 I’m Not Angry - 2026 Remaster12 Waiting For The End Of The World - 2026 Remaster13 Watching The Detectives - Single VersionThe Blue Print (Disc 2)01 I Turn Around - Hope & Anchor Studio**02 Losing You - Hope & Anchor Studio**03 Leverman - Hope & Anchor Studio**04 Citizen Junction - Hope & Anchor Studio**05 I Hear A Melody - Pathway Studios06 Poison Moon - Bedroom Recording07 Wave A White Flag - Bedroom Recording08 Mercury Wings - Ms. Dore’s Tape**09 Jump Up - Hope & Anchor Studio**10 No Star - Hope & Anchor Studio**11 Walk On - Hope & Anchor Studio**12 Radio Soul - Hope & Anchor Studio**13 Clean Money - Hope & Anchor Studio**14 Don’t Put A Levy On My Love - Hope & Anchor Studio**15 Play It Safe - Hope & Anchor Studio**16 Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver) - Hope & Anchor Studio**17 I Can’t Turn It Off - Hope & Anchor StudioThe Stranger In The House (Disc 3)01 Radio Sweetheart - My Aim Is True Outtake02 Cheap Reward - Bedroom Recording03 Mystery Dance - Bedroom Recording04 Stranger In The House - My Aim Is True Outtake05 Running Out Of Angels - Hope & Anchor Studio**06 Just Like A Jukebox - Hope & Anchor Studio**07 I Don’t Want To Go Home - Pathway Studios08 Blame It On Cain - Bedroom Recording09 Blue Minute - Ms. Dore’s Tape**10 Pay It Back - Bedroom Recording **11 Exiles Road - Flip City - Hope & Anchor Studio**12 Knockin On Heaven’s Door - Flip City - Hope & Anchor Studio**13 Sweet Revival - Flip City - Hope & Anchor Studio**14 Pay It Back - Flip City - Hope & Anchor Studio**15 Imagination (Is A Powerful Deceiver) - Flip City - Hope & Anchor Studio**16 Living In Paradise - Hope & Anchor Studio**17 Welcome To The Working Week - Pathway Studios18 Miracle Man - Bedroom Recording**19 Miracle Man - Pathway Studios20 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes - Ms. Dore’s Tape**21 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes - Pathway Studios22 Waiting For The End Of The World - Pathway Studios23 Living In Paradise - My Aim Is True Outtake24 Call On Me - Pathway Studios25 Watching The Detectives - Pathway Studios Trio Version**26 No Action - Pathway Studios Trio Version27 Poison Moon - Ms. Dore’s Tape**28 Stranger In The House - Ms. Dore’s Tape**Becoming The Attractions (Disc 4)01 Alison - What’s On Granada Reports02 Introduction By Dave Robinson - Live, The Nashville Room03 Mystery Dance - Live, The Nashville Room04 Pay It Back - Soundcheck, The Nashville Room05 Radio Sweetheart - Soundcheck, The Nashville Room06 Sneaky Feelings - Soundcheck, The Nashville Room07 Crawling To The U.S.A. - Soundcheck, The Nashville Room08 Lip Service - Pathway Studios**09 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes- with Introduction Top Of The Pops**10 Interview No. 1 - Good Afternoon with Mavis Nicholson11 Watching The Detectives - Good Afternoon Broadcast**12 Interview No. 2 - Good Afternoon with Mavis Nicholson13 Hoover Factory - Good Afternoon Rehearsal**14 I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself - Live Stiffs, University of East Anglia, Norwich15 Whole Wide World - Live Stiffs, University Of Leicester, Leicester, U.K.**16 KSAN Intro - Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA17 Pump It Up - Old Waldorf, San Francisco, CA**18 Lip Service - Unknown Field Recording**19 Mystery Dance - Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA**20 Blame It On Cain - Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA**21 Less Than Zero (Dallas Version) - Warner Theater, Washington D.C.22 Waiting For The End Of The World - The Agora Ballroom, Cleveland, OH**23 Miracle Man - Warner Theater, Washington D.C. 24 Watching The Detectives - Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA**25 I’m Not Angry - Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, CA**Covered In Clover (Disc 5)01 Welcome To The Working Week (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA -November 8, 2007)**02 Miracle Man (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**03 No Dancing (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**04 Intro To Blame It On Cain (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November8, 2007)**05 Blame It On Cain (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8,2007)**06 Alison (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**07 Intro To Sneaky Feelings (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November8, 2007)**08 Sneaky Feelings (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8,2007)**09 Intro To Red Shoes (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8,2007)**10 (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes (Live - Great American Music Hall, SanFrancisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**11 Less Than Zero (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8,2007)**12 Mystery Dance (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8,2007)**13 Pay It Back (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**14 I'm Not Angry (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**15 Waiting For The End Of The World / Gloria (Live - Great American Music Hall, SanFrancisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**16 Watching The Detectives (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November8, 2007)**17 Mr. Moon (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**18 Intro To The Love Trilogy (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November8, 2007)**19 Love Has No Pride (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8,2007)**20 Love Is Gone (Live - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**21 (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Live - Great American Music Hall,San Francisco, CA - November 8, 2007)**** Denotes previously unreleased